Happy endings or sad endings - which do you prefer?

21 Mar 2016

Quote by VirgoGo
My preference is for characters who wind up in a different place emotionally than where they started. Usually, this means they're a little happier than before, or maybe, they possess greater clarity or certainty. Personally, I'm not drawn to stories where the outcome is ecstasy and happily ever after.

Exactly. This is well put. Emotional growth at the end is what matters, whether it is happy or sad.

2 May 2016

I prefer happy

2 May 2016

I don't have a preference--as with VirginGo, I like to see characters who end up in a different place, emotionally and mentally, than that in which they were at the opening of the piece.

That said, I can't write a "love story" or "romantic story" or story with a "happy" ending to save my life, so there's that.

Want to spend some time wallowing in a Recommended Read? Pick one! Or two! Or seven!

Drill Day - Tension
Double Oxer - Beribboned And Bowed - Blood Lust - Losing It - My Favourite Word

2 May 2016

I find that with erotica, I tend to lean towards happy, but in general I want an ending that fits the story. If you drop a downer in the last chapter of an otherwise upbeat story, likely won't click as well as if there was some foreshadowing of the downer. Ditto happy. I don't want a deus ex machina dropped just to make the ending happy. If the story direction suggests a downer ending, give it one.